The 2 practices I feel will be most beneficial to me, based on the information in this course, are the loving-kindness practice and the subtle mind practice.
To me, the loving kindness practice is something that can be done on a daily basis, without having to find large amounts of time to practice. I have found that the more I can focus on others, the more calm I feel. I like that you can use this practice to start focusing on those closest to you and then widen your focus to the world in general. I feel that it really opens my heart and I also feel that it gives me more of a sense of what is important in the world. I have found that since I have been working with this practice, I see the relationships in my family a bit differently. In the past, I would be very put off and sometimes even offended by the actions or words of another family member, but I try now to see things through love and patience and an understanding that the particular person might be hurting in ways I don't even understand, and that is why they are acting the way they do. What the loving-kindness practice can do for me is to hopefully help and guide family members to see their hurts and learn how to overcome them.
The subtle mind practice, while a little more intense, is a wonderful practice that I will continue to use and cultivate. I have been trying this practice in a couple of different settings, and find that the best time for me to practice this is later in the day. Although during that time of day, I tend to have a lot on my mind, and have found that my mind can wander, it does give me a good deal of practice to learn to acknowledge those thoughts, and see them as they are, but not chase them down a rabbit-hole. Instead, I feel that I have been able to experience what it feels like to have a clear mind and to enjoy that feeling. I will continue to practice this daily.
Cheri,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to see the Loving Kindness tool is working for you and I hope you continue to use it! I am trying to find enough time to use it on a regular basis but can not seem to yet. After I graduate I will have a lot of time to concentrate on getting this in my daily activities. It is so benificial. The Subtle mind exercise is not something I have fully given 100% to learning as well as I'd like. Maybe I can explore that as well. You seem to be doing well with it ant I hope the relationships at home continue to prosper. Good job.
I am glad that these tools are working for you and that you feel as though you can see things from another perspective. The Loving-Kindness exercise is a good way to learn to see things differently and that there might be another story behind the way that a person acts. We need to learn to dismiss the negative energy that others give out and not to feed into it. This exercise definately helps us to do just that.
ReplyDeleteCheri
ReplyDeleteI felt like both of these exercises were the most beneficial for me too. I'm glad that you have found a way to incorporate them into your routine. I think that both are important for healthcare providers because they help you to focus on your needs in order to achieve your own personal optimal health and they allow you to focus on others to help them reach their optimal health.
Candace
Hi Cheri,
ReplyDeleteI too enjoy the loving-kindness mediation…but I like to do it right after I workout, during my cool down. I’ve found that if my body is spend and I’m feeling great about giving my body what it needs to stay healthy then my mind is more focused. I’ve also tried to do this at different times of day and different environments, but I just can’t seem to focus.
I wish you luck and peace
Thanks,
Darlene
I think it is great that you are benefiting from these exercises. I also like the Love and Kindness practices. I feel they help you learn how to love yourself and to love others. They will help you learn how to open your heart and to let others in.
ReplyDeleteCheri
ReplyDeleteI like the post. Subtle mind is not my favorite but it has its attributes. I think using subtle mind to deal with family is good. We know some family members cannot help who they are but we can calm ourselves to understand and accept them for who they are. It is pretty tough but it can be down.